Arimasansoh Goshobessho

It’s tempting to think of Arimasansoh Goshobessho, a tranquil ten-room hotel in the foothills of the Rokko mountain range, as the Platonic ideal of the ryokan. After all, it’s a rural oasis from the nearby cities of Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto; it’s a small-scale property whose low-slung buildings are characterized by overhanging roofs and traditional Japanese woodwork; it’s got the naturally fed hot springs and some fine locally sourced cuisine; there are stone paths to meander along and even a gurgling stream running through the property. If you’re looking for the sense of retreat, the peace and quiet that a ryokan offers, you needn’t look further.

Some concessions are made, however, to travelers from outside of Japan: dinner is served in formal kaiseki style, but breakfast includes Western options as well. And the rooms, though traditional in their construction, are furnished with leather chairs and flat-screen televisions and Western-style beds with big feathery comforters.

And while you could easily spend the duration of a visit relaxing around the grounds of the property and detoxing at the spa, it’s just as tempting to go horseback riding in the mountains, take a chef-made bento box on a hike in the woods, or take the five-minute walk to the little town of Arima for a visit to the offbeat Toys and Automata Museum. Arimasansoh Goshobessho has taken some liberties with the formula for a rural Japanese inn, and the result is a less serious, more relaxed country hideaway.

How to get there: Arimasansoh Goshobessho offers complimentary shuttle service to/from Arima Onsen train station upon request.